Our Urban and Community Forest

The urban and community forest is the forest that surrounds us in our daily lives. The trees and other plants that create a canopy over communities comprise the urban forest. We don't travel to visit the urban forest, but rather step out into it as we open our doors.

Our urban and community forest includes trees in places like:

• Backyards
• Parks
• Streets
• Institutional land
• Industrial land
• Forest preserve districts

The urban forest also includes places where there are no trees, such as:

• Parking lots
• Agricultural land
• Transportation corridors

These trees throughout our region contribute significantly to our quality of life through all the benefits trees give us, including environmental, economic, aesthetic, and social benefits.

Growing a more robust, healthy urban forest will improve the quality of life for all residents of the communities and cities in our region.